California Cardrooms Face Tight New Rules from Attorney General
California’s cardrooms are bracing for a shake-up as Attorney General Rob Bonta proposes strict new rules that could reshape the industry.
New Rules, Big Changes
Attorney General Rob Bonta is pushing fresh regulations to tighten oversight of California’s 86 licensed cardrooms, aiming to clarify the state’s gambling laws. The proposals zero in on two key areas: the player-dealer role and blackjack-style games.
Bonta says he’s just clearing up legal gray areas, but cardroom operators, workers, and local leaders argue these rules could choke their cash flow and kill jobs.
Cardrooms rely on a player-dealer system, where players take turns acting as the “bank” instead of the house, keeping games legal under California law.
Bonta’s rules would shake this up. The player-dealer must sit at the table, rotate every 40 minutes, and be offered to all players before each hand, with offers recorded on surveillance. If a Third-Party Provider of Proposition Player Services (TPPPS), hired to act as the dealer, takes the role, the next rotation must go to another player.
Only one TPPPS per table is allowed, and they can’t settle bets unless they’re the player-dealer. A sign must inform players they can take the role, risking only their wagered amount.
If fewer than two non-TPPPS players bank every 40 minutes, the game stops. Critics call it a “dumb rule,” saying, “Forcing players to do it when most people can’t or won’t is effectively going to function as a ban on these games.”
Cracking Down on Blackjack
The rules also target blackjack-style games, a major revenue driver for cardrooms. Bonta’s proposal bans games with a “bust” feature (losing over 21 points) or a target score of 21.
Wins and losses would depend solely on whose hand is closer to the target, with players winning ties. Terms like “21” or “blackjack” would be off-limits.
All current blackjack-style games would be outlawed, forcing cardrooms to redesign and reapply for approval within 60 days of the rules taking effect.
California’s tribal casinos, which hold exclusive rights to house-banked games, back Bonta’s plan, arguing cardrooms use TPPPS to illegally mimic house-banked games, violating tribal compacts. Tribes have sued over this, bolstered by SB 549, signed in September 2024, which lets them sue cardrooms in state courts.
But cardroom advocates are livid. Assemblymember David Tangipa said, “The Attorney General’s proposed regulations pose a direct threat to these good-paying jobs and would devastate our economy by eliminating critical tax revenue.”
Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Dandy de Paula added, “We rely on our cardroom… for the tax revenue generated that makes up over 60% of our city’s general fund.”
A state analysis predicts a 50% drop in cardroom jobs and revenue, potentially costing Los Angeles County over 5,000 jobs and cities like Commerce and Compton millions in taxes.
What’s Next?
Bonta’s office claims the rules will have a minor economic impact, trimming $331 million annually from California’s economy while preserving 90% of cardroom benefits.
But Brian Hews of Los Cerritos Community News warned, “The only thing this policy really accomplishes is destroying good-paying jobs, crucial city services, and local businesses while transferring the profits elsewhere.”
Public hearings wrapped up in May 2025, with comments closed on May 29. The rules now await finalization, leaving cardrooms in a tough spot as tribes and regulators tighten the screws.
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